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Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15 joins wise speech and a teachable heart to life under YHWH, who sees and judges all.

A wisdom teacher contrasts gentle answers with harsh speech, then moves through correction, household wealth, prayer, and the hidden thoughts of the heart. These short sayings address anyone learning to live with wisdom, with parents, children, and counselors appearing along the way. YHWH watches both evil and good, rejects wickedness, and hears the righteous. The chapter closes by linking wisdom to the fear of YHWH and honor to humility.

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1A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools gush out folly.
3The LORD’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.
5A fool despises his father’s correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.
6In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.
7The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools.
8The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who follows after righteousness.
10There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way. Whoever hates reproof shall die.
11Sheol and Abaddon are before the LORD— how much more then the hearts of the children of men!
12A scoffer doesn’t love to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.
13A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but an aching heart breaks the spirit.
14The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.
16Better is little, with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble.
17Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.
18A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.
19The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.
20A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.
21Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight.
22Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established.
23Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!
24The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.
25The LORD will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow’s borders intact.
26The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.
27He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.
28The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.
29The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart. Good news gives health to the bones.
31The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise.
32He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.
33The fear of the LORD teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Proverbs 15:8This contrast shows that YHWH’s response to worship takes account of the worshiper’s conduct and character.
Proverbs 15:29The promise that YHWH hears the righteous connects prayer with the chapter’s repeated contrast between righteous and wicked ways.
Proverbs 15:3YHWH’s watch over evil and good frames the chapter’s teaching about speech, hidden thoughts, and conduct.
Where this chapter reaches

Psalm and Jeremiah share the theme of God seeing human hearts, while Isaiah shares the warning that worship offered alongside wickedness meets God’s rejection. James shares the chapter’s concern with the tongue’s capacity to harm and with humility before God.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

Where might a weighed answer, as described in verse 28, change a conversation you face?

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How do the meals contrasted in verse 17 challenge your picture of a good home?

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Questions people ask about Proverbs 15

What does Proverbs 15:1 mean by a gentle answer?

A gentle answer is speech that responds without adding harshness to an angry exchange. Verse 18 pairs this with being slow to anger, and verse 28 describes weighing an answer before speaking. As a proverb, verse 1 describes a wise pattern; it does not guarantee that every angry person will calm down.

Why does Proverbs 15:29 say YHWH is far from the wicked?

Distance here concerns God’s favor and response to prayer. Verse 3 has said that his eyes are everywhere, so the wicked remain within his sight. Verses 8–9 explain the contrast: God rejects wicked worship and conduct, while delighting in upright prayer and loving those who pursue righteousness.

What are Sheol and Abaddon in Proverbs 15:11?

Sheol refers to the realm of the dead, and Abaddon is associated with destruction. Their pairing emphasizes that even death’s hidden depths lie open before YHWH. The verse then argues from those depths to human hearts: nothing within a person escapes his knowledge. It offers no detailed map of the afterlife.

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Proverbs · 31 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).